Method and apparatus for dispensing viscous substances



Nov. 10, 1964 n. B. YETTER 3,

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DISPENSING VISCO'US SUBSTANCES Filedi Dec. 20, 1962 INVENTOR.

United States Patent Filed Dec. 20, 1962, Ser. No. 246,213 5 Claims. (Cl. 222-262) This invention relates to a method and apparatus for dispensing a viscous substance such as grease or the like, and particularly to improvements in grease guns of the self-contained portable type.

A primary purpose is a method of the type described in which grease is continuously supplied, under pressure, to the gun barrel.

Another purpose in a grease gun of the type described having a self-contained source of gun-loading pressure.

Another purpose is a method of dispensing grease in which it is not necessary to draw the grease into the gun barrel, prior to dispensing.

Another purpose is a reliably operating portable gun of the type described suitable for home use.

Other purposes will appear in the ensuing specification, drawings and claims.

The invention is illustrated diagrammatically in the following drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a gun of the type described, with portions cut away, and

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged vertical section of a portion of the gun in FIGURE 1.

Although the invention will be described in connection with a grease gun, it should be obvious that the apparatus and method disclosed can be used for dispensing any viscous substance, such as calking compounds or the like. The invention should not be limited to any particular substance.

The gun may in general consist of two parts, the dispensing apparatus and a source of grease, under pressure. The dispensing apparatus may consist of a barrel having a barrel extension 12 which threadedly mounts an adapter or the like 14 so that the grease may be applied to any conventional fitting. Within the barrel 10 is a chamber 16 having a check valve in the nature of a ball 18 urged against a seat 20 by a coil spring or the like 22. The chamber 16 has a discharge port 24 which opens into the barrel extension 12 and adapter 14, and at the other end is in communication through a passage 26 with a filling opening 28. A plunger 30 may be reciprocal within a second chamber 32 and is urged to the position of FIGURE 2 by a spring 34 which encircles the plunger 30 and seats against an annular shoulder 36. A seal or the like 38 may be formed at the junction between the passage 26 and the chamber 32 so that no grease will leak back into the chamber 32.

The plunger 30 has an extension 40 which projects outwardly through the rear end of the gun and is pivotally connected to a handle 42. The upper end of the handle 42 is pivotally mounted to a lever 44, the lever 44 in turn being pivotally mounted to the barrel 10, as at 46. A grip 48 completes the structure of the dispensing apparatus.

An adapter or the like 50 may be threaded into the filling opening 28 and in turn threadedly mounts a can 52. The adapter 50 includes a generally central release member 54 which extends down into the can 52 to push a valve member 56 away from a seal ring 58 formed in the can opening. As soon as the valve member 56 is pushed away from the seal ring 58, the substance within the can is free to flow upwardly through passages 60, adjacent the release member 54, and into the filling opening.

The can 52 may have an upper chamber 62 and a lower 3,156,385 Patented Nov. 10, 1964 ice chamber 64, as shown in FIGURE 1. The upper chamber 62 will hold the substance to be dispensed, for example grease, a calking compound or the like. A diaphragm 66 may be fastened around its outer periphery to the inner side wall of the can and separates the chambers 62 and 64. The chamber 64 may hold a suitable propellant, which may take a variety of forms, but is preferably an inert gas. Nitrogen, carbon dioxide or any other suitable substance may be used for the propellant. It is important to divide the propellant from the viscous substance so that there is no loss of power and so that material of almost any viscosity can be dispensed. As the material in the chamber 62 is dispensed, the propellant will expand and will force the flexible diaphragm 66 upwardly so that there is a continuous pressure against chamber 62.

In filling the can 52, grease is first loaded, thus chamber 64 below the diaphragm 66, is filled with propellant and a rubber plug or the like 68 is inserted in the filling opening for a seal.

The use, operation and function of the invention are as follows:

To operate the gun, the handle 42 is squeezed toward grip 48, forcing the plunger 30 toward the right, as shown in FIGURE 2, to expel the grease within passage 26, past the check valve and into the barrel extension and then out through the adapter. When handle 42 is released, the plunger 30 will return to the position of FIGURE 2 and grease may then flow up through the filling opening and into passage 26.

Of particular importance is the face that it is not necessary to draw grease into the passage 26 by the return stroke. Many prior grease guns of this general type require the grease to be pulled into the chamber on the return stroke and if there is not sufiicient suction at this point, the chamber 26 will not receive a full load of grease. By applying a constant pressure to the grease within the reservoir or chamber 62, there will always be grease pushed into the chamber 26 and no effort will be required on the part of the operator to load the gun for the next shot.

As the grease is dispensed by the gun, the diaphragm will expand and provide a generally continuous and initially constant source of pressure behind the grease. As the can 52 nears the empty condition, the pressure will of course decrease, but there is a constant pressure through a portion of can use.

The present invention finds particular use by the home owner. Different substances may be dispensed with the same gun by changing cans. In this connection, when a can is removed from the adapter, it will immediately seal itself.

The invention also is useful to a plant maintenance man who must lubricate different machines with different greases. Because the cans are self-sealing upon removal, the grease or other substance in each can will remain clean and uncontaminated.

Whereas the preferred form of the invention has been shown and described herein, it should be realized that there are many modifications, substitutions and alterations thereto within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A self-contained portable gun for dispensing a viscous substance such as grease or the like, including a barrel having an outlet and a filling opening, a check valve in the barrel between said outlet and filling opening, a reciprocal plunger in the barrel and means for operating it, said filling opening being in communication with the barrel when the plunger is in an inoperative position, said plunger closing said filling opening as it is reciprocated to drive the substance from the barrel,

an adapter connected to said barrel at the filling opening, a release member on said adapter extending away from said filling opening, said adapter having at least one passage therein in communication with the filling opening a can fixed to said adapter with said release inember extending into said can, a normally closed valve in said can, said release member opening said valve to place the interior of said can in communcation with said barrel through said filling opening and passage, said can containing a supply of a viscous substance to be dispensed and a completely contained source of pressure positioned beneath said viscous substance, and a diaphragm circumferentially attached to said can and flexible throughout its area, said diaphragm being positioned between said viscous substance and said source of pressure.

2. The structure of claim 1 further characterized in that said source of pressure includes an inert gas, said gas expanding and urging said diaphragm against said viscous substance as the substance is expelled into the barrel.

3. The structure of claim 1 further characterized by a spring, within the barrel, urging said reciprocal plunger away from said outlet.

4. The structure of claim 1 further characterized in that said can is removable.

5. The structure of claim 4 further characterized in that said can is self-sealing upon removal from the gun.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Mills -1 Jan. 3, Nelson May 3, Welch et a1. Oct. 26, Hundemer Mar. 1, Brown June 19, Davis Dec. 30, Engseth Feb. 10, Pyenson Nov. 8, Hoffman Feb. 27, Tasca July 16,

Yetter Nov. 5, 

1. A SELF-CONTAINED PORTABLE GUN FOR DISPENSING A VISCOUS SUBSTANCE SUCH AS GREASE OR THE LIKE, INCLUDING A BARREL HAVING AN OUTLET AND A FILLING OPENING, A CHECK VALVE IN THE BARREL BETWEEN SAID OUTLET AND FILLING OPENING, A RECIPROCAL PLUNGER IN THE BARREL AND MEANS FOR OPERATING IT, SAID FILLING OPENING BEING IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE BARREL WHEN THE PLUNGER IS IN AN INOPERATIVE POSITION, SAID PLUNGER CLOSING SAID FILLING OPENING AS IT IS RECIPROCATED TO DRIVE THE SUBSTANCE FROM THE BARREL, AN ADAPTER CONNECTED TO SAID BARREL AT THE FILLING OPENING, A RELEASE MEMBER ON SAID ADAPTER EXTENDING AWAY FROM SAID FILLING OPENING, SAID ADAPTOR HAVING AT LEAST ONE PASSAGE THEREIN IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE FILLING OPENING A CAN FIXED TO SAID ADAPTER WITH SAID RELEASE MEMBER EXTENDING INTO SAID CAN, A NORMALLY CLOSED VALVE IN SAID CAN, SAID RELEASE MEMBER OPENING SAID VALVE TO PLACE THE INTERIOR OF SAID CAN IN COMMUNICATION WITH SAID BARREL THROUGH SAID FILLING OPENING AND PASSAGE, SAID CAN CONTAINING A SUPPLY OF A VISCOUS SUBSTANCE TO BE DISPENSED AND A COMPLETELY CONTAINED SOURCE OF PRESSURE POSITIONED BENEATH SAID VISCOUS SUBSTANCE, AND A DIAPHRAGM CIRCUMFERENTIALLY ATTACHED TO SAID CAN AND FLEXIBLE THROUGHOUT ITS AREA, SAID DIAPHRAGM BEING POSITIONED BETWEEN SAID VISCOUS SUBSTANCE AND SAID SOURCE OF PRESSURE. 